And it’s super fun — it really is. But eating NEW things all the time means that I never have time — or stomach space — for my old favorites. Well, today I wanted to re-try two of my favorite snacks over at Kringla Bakeri og Kafe in Norway’s Epcot. After all, they’ve both gone through some changes since we last reviewed them, so they ARE technically “new” in some ways!

All over Disney World and Disneyland, guests are invited to celebrate the birthday of Frozen’s Princess Anna (she’s a princess, right?). This goes hand in hand with the Frozen Fever film short where our Arendelle friends attempt to throw her a surprise party, and Anna’s Happy Birthday Cupcake is one of three Frozen Fever treats brought out for the occasion.

So… Frozen Fun ends in Disneyland on May 15th, and Frozen Summer Fun LIVE won’t return to Disney’s Hollywood Studios until June 17th. That’s one full Frozen-free month… What’s an Anna, Elsa, Kristoff and Olaf fan to do?!?

What will we do when there’s no Frozen Fun?!

Fret not, Frozen fans! In the downtime between the two events, Disney is releasing a few treats in honor of “Frozen Fever,” the film short that can currently be seen on the big screen prior to showings of the live-action “Cinderella” film.

As in the film short, these treats go about the task of celebrating Anna’s birthday… and what’s a birthday celebration without a little cake? Anna’s Happy Birthday Cupcake is a vanilla cupcake with blue buttercream frosting, topped with marshmallows, snowflake candies, and a white chocolate Olaf.

Restaurant dining is great in Disney World, but if you want to get the most bang for your buck when it comes to eating on the go, you should make use of some of our Snack Pairing Ideas.

Epcot’s China Pavilion

Need some help getting started? Let’s take a look at something pretty unique!

Strawberry Red Bean Ice Cream and Waffles with Strawberry Jam

One of our favorite things to do when seeking out Snack Pairings is to combine flavors from different countries! But this works best if you can find flavors to match in neighboring pavilions, of course.

If you’re looking for something fruit-flavored but a little off the beaten path, head into the China Pavilion and try the Strawberry Red Bean Ice Cream at the Joy of Tea kiosk (sometimes it’s found at Lotus Blossom Cafe as well).

This quaint (read: tiny) spot in Epcot’s Norway Pavilion has a big cult following for interesting pastries and sandwiches. And it’s a great spot to try something a little out of the ordinary on your Drink Around the World stroll — Aquavit!

But today, we’re a sampling a few sweet treats that are new to us, plus one snack that we absolutely can’t visit Kringla without getting! Three guesses?

Let’s take a closer look.

Frozen Bundt Cake

Our first item is another entry into the wildly popular Frozen food team! It’s a Frozen-themed Bundt Cake.

You’d have to imagine that Elsa and Anna had a hand in putting this one together, since they both love chocolate. (Smart women that they are.)

It doesn’t look all that spectacular, does it? Just rich, Dark Chocolate Cake, Blue Icing, Coarse Sugar for a little crunch, and a Frozen Souvenir Ring in the shape of a snowflake.

Frozen Bundt Cake

But it’s ah-MA-zing! I was shocked. I left it to eat until last as I thought it would be forgettable. But it super wasn’t. In fact, I still haven’t forgotten about it, and hope it’s there when I go back to Disney World next!

Frozen Bundt Cake — Cross Section

Just look at the dense, decadent cake! You actually don’t need frosting. (Whaaaa? Did I just say that??) It’s almost like a cross between a cake and fudge. So good!

Brown Goat Cheese Waffle

The next new treat I tried was the Brown Goat Cheese Waffle. I love Cheese, and I love the Waffles here at Kringla. So hey, why not?

The waffle is filled and topped with a traditional Norwegian Cheese called Ekte Geitost. It’s a type of Brunost, or “Brown Cheese” made from goat’s milk. The cheese is produced by boiling together milk, cream, and whey, until the sugars caramelize, giving the cheese its distinctive brown color and sweet flavor. See? You learned something today!

Epcot’s Holidays Around the World offers guests the opportunity to experience holiday traditions from around the globe through music, stories, and (our favorite) cuisine!

So, grab your passport… (yup — they have passports this year!)

Holidays Around the World Passport

…because we’re about to take a trip around the world! Epcot’s World Showcase, that is!

First things first: be sure to pick up a Guide Map at Epcot’s entrance for this experience.

Guide Map Display

Even if you know your way around Epcot, this map — unique to the festivities – shows you which treats are available and where you can find them (it provides times for special holiday performances as well).

Mexico

While the corn-based dough in this dish isn’t at all sugary (with just the slightest hint of cinammon spice), the strawberry glaze on top delivers a nice bit of sweetness. The filling is tangy, with a guava puree (and I believe a hint of pineapple, as well).

Center of Sweet Tamale

Holiday Waffles and Drinks at Promenade Refreshments

Now, before we hit the rest of the countries in World Showcase, Promenade Refreshments is offering a few treats exclusive to the holidays, too!

Promenade Refreshments

Promenade Refreshments Holiday Menu

We’ll be back soon with a full review of both waffles and some of that peanut butter hot cocoa, but here’s a pic of the Savory Waffle to whet your whistle!

There’s no shortage of interesting pretzel versions in the ‘Land and the ‘World, but wait til you see these! You’ll have a couple of brand new pretzel treats to add to your list for sure!

Mickey Pretzel

So many choices…but I couldn’t resist starting with one of my favorites, the Mickey-Shaped Pretzel! Available now on both coasts, seeing that cute/creepy little face rendered in puffy soft pretzel dough just makes me smile every. Single. Time.

A few weeks before my recent trip to Disney World, the Disney Parks Blog posted an article on a fun new way to experience the Disney parks: Bingo!

When I read this article, I immediately wanted there to be a Disney food version which prompted me to contact AJ at the Disney Food Blog.

Magic Kingdom DFB Bingo Card.

She developed a card for each park and I was lucky enough to be the beta tester! For this trip, we attempted the Magic Kingdom and Epcot food bingo cards.

Magic Kingdom Disney Food Bingo Card

The first card that we attempted to complete was for the Magic Kingdom. I absolutely LURVE Magic Kingdom food, so I knew this card would be a cinch to complete.

Our first treat was a Root Beer Dole Whip Float at Aloha Isle. It was in the high 80s with a packed park, so this cold and refreshing treat was welcomed.

While I love anything Dole Whip, and even though we got vanilla Dole Whip, I thought that the root beer actually didn’t taste the best with it …perhaps because it wasn’t the creamy, real vanilla ice cream that I’m used to? Maybe it was an off-day? Either way, I’ll probably need to get another one just to be sure.

Root Beer Dole Whip Float.

Float!

As optimistic as I was that we would finish the Magic Kingdom bingo card, I am saddened and embarrassed to admit that we did not.

We got as far as the float and a popcorn and then threw our hands up in defeat – the Memorial Day crowds and our Advance Dining Reservation (ADR) just proved too much for us on top of attempting two bingo cards. We were, however, much more successful with the Epcot card.

Epcot Disney Food Blog Bingo Card

We were particularly excited about the Epcot food bingo card because [Read more…]

At her urging, I recently made a visit to one of DisneyFoodBlog guru AJ’s favorite spots,Kringla Bakeri Og Kafe in Epcot’s Norway pavilion.

While I LOVE the Maelstrom ride in Norway (“Those who seek the spirit of Norway face peril and adventure!”), I must confess that I rarely stop into Kringla when I’m at the pavilion. Depending on which way I’m traveling, my hands are usually already occupied by a margarita from Mexico or a bag of caramel popcorn from Germany.

AJ’s motivation for having me visit Kringla Bakeri was to investigate the mystery of the disappearing Cloudberry Horn. She had heard (gasp!) they were off the menu.

The Cloudberry Horn is one of those Disney cult classic items that a squadron of devotees defend with zeal. MUST HAVE CLOUDBERRIES! (Say that with a troll voice and you’ll tremble slightly.)

Indeed, when I got to the pastry counter I found that there were no “Cloudberry Horns,” but instead there were Troll Horns available. (Do trolls even have horns?)

This troll has no horn, or maybe she chopped it off :-)

The menu lists Troll Horns for $3.89, same price that the Cloudberry Horns had been.

And look, those cone-shaped sweets are labeled “Troll Horns” in the case.

Upon closer inspection of both a horn and the menu, the difference between a Troll Horn and a Cloudberry Horn is the flavor of [Read more…]